John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”
Parallel translations
- WEB John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”
- KJV And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
- BSB “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”
- NKJV Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
- NASB John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow along with us.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
John reports they stopped a man casting out demons in Jesus' name because he was not one of their group. The disciples wrongly equate following Jesus with belonging to their circle.
Overview
John's words reveal a narrow, exclusive spirit that ties legitimate ministry to their own company. The man was acting in Jesus' name, yet they forbade him. This sets up Jesus' correction of a sectarian attitude that would limit the work of His kingdom to their own ranks.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Mark 9:38–40John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
- Num 11:27–29A young man ran, and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”
- Mark 10:13–14They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
- Acts 5:28saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
- Acts 4:18–19They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
- 1 Th 2:16forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
- Luke 5:5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”
- 3 Jn 1:9–10I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 9:49 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.